Bookshelves
by queenn of evil
Summary: <html><head></head>Emma finds an enchanting number written in a library book. When she decides to call it, she's rather surprised by who answers.. College AU SwanQueen. Rated for later chapters.</html>
1. Chapter 1

The clock on the wall ticked loudly, the sound reverberating off the rows of bookshelves. Emma sat, curled up in an armchair in the corner, reading a new book. She studied in this exact spot, between 11 and 1, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. She had a lunch break between her two classes, and what better way to spend it than avoiding the mass of people crowded in the food court. She was stuck at an out of state college, sharing a room with three strange girls. Any time she could find alone, she would take it.

As it rapidly approached 1 pm, she stretched, getting ready for the rest of her classes. She drained the rest of her, now cold, coffee and stood up. The book she'd been reading dropped off her knees, spilling open to a page Emma hadn't yet reached. Scrawled on the bottom of the page was a small note:

"Tell me what you think"

followed by a 10 digit number.

She read over the beautiful handwriting several times, considering if she should take it to the librarian, or just ignore it. Usually Emma was rather offended by library book vandals, but this tiny note felt different. Somehow, it felt more personal. She opted for a third choice, and went through the trouble to rent it and take it with her.

Once she found that note, she couldn't stop reading the book. She read during her Religions lecture, ignored the English teacher, and downright ditched her Math class. This book had suddenly occupied her entire life; she even forgot to eat. Lucky enough, she was a strong reader and she was done by nightfall.

Emma had a lot to think about this book, and she thought, and thought, and thought. She had really enjoyed the familial dynamic, between the estranged sisters, but she found the protagonist's love interest to be rather boring and unutilized. The antagonist was terrifying, granted, but the relation to the story was awkward and unsettled. Overall, she thought the book needed a sequel, though it was still very good on its own.

Her roommates woke her up early the next day, as revenge for keeping them up all night. She, Ruby, and Mary Margaret ate at the café, trying to get ready for classes.

"What were you even doing that kept you up that late?" Mary Margaret said, tearing off pieces of a scone.

"Reading."

Emma's eyes were half-open, and she tried to drown the feeling of exhaustion with a third cup of coffee.

"Whatever, I hope it was good." Ruby rolled her eyes as she spoke, biting into an apple.

Emma sighed and dropped her head onto the table. "I feel hung-over," she quipped, earning laughter from her two roommates.


	2. Chapter 2

Emma stared at the number in the book. She'd considered calling for a few days after finishing. She knew exactly what she thought about the book, and how she felt. There was a nervous feeling, though, as if she was going on a date.

She didn't know why she should be nervous. The number probably connects to a dead line. Or perhaps she'd get through to the person who wrote the note, and they wouldn't even remember it. Or maybe, just maybe, she'd talk to some random alumni who liked the book as well, and they'd share their opinions, then end the call. She had literally no reason to be worried.

So why was she?

Emma tried to attend class as normal, tried reading other books. Nothing got her mind off the number. Her grades started to drop, and her roommates noticed her harried state. And the whole ordeal was getting her increasingly nervous about using her phone at all. She nearly jumped out of her skin when her mom called to check up.

She sat quietly at her desk, staring at her phone, and staring at the number. She was required to return the book today, lest she pay late fees. She _had_ to call today, no other choice.

She quickly typed the number into her phone and shut her eyes before hitting call.

_Ring_

Ringing is good; it's not a dead number. So this stranger wrote that number intentionally.

_Ring_

No one answered yet, but who really answers their phone that quick these days anyway?

_Ring_

Okay, third ring. Maybe she just dodged a serious bullet and she won't have to talk to someone.

_Ring_

This was getting disappointing. She was supposed to be satisfying curiosity not creating more.

_Ring_

Emma was very upset at this point. She felt like she had wasted all of her week, getting increasingly more anxious about a phone call that wasn't even going to happen. In fact, she was so angry, she was completely caught off guard when-

"Hello?" A quiet voice answered.

Emma froze.

"Hello?" The voice was angrier. The girl on the other end of the number sounded like she just got up.

Emma had to say something.

"Hi, sorry. Er… Hi." Emma didn't have a clue what to say anymore.

"Who is this?"

"Emma.. Um I found your note thing…"

"What note thing?"

"Well, sorry, maybe it wasn't you, but in _Queen Arrangement_, some random book I found, it had your number in it and said to call… I'm sorry this was a bad idea I don't mean to bother-"

"Wait, what?" Something Emma said had gotten her attention. There was faint background noises of blankets moving about, "What book did you find that in?"

"In _Queen Arrangement_. I picked it up from the university library."

"How did you like it?"

"No wait, so you actually wrote that?"

"Yes, I did. I thought no one would ever read it, let alone call. Tell me what you thought about it."

"Uh, okay. Well honestly…" Emma started talking about her opinions and theories on the book. She and the girl on the other line argued about what they thought for almost an hour.

"Hey, we've been talking for like an hour, I'm sorry I have to go to class." Emma didn't actually want to end, it was rare she got to talk about a book with someone.

"Wait, one more minute. You're at the university, right?"

"Yeah."

"I'd love to talk to you in person. Do you want to get coffee someday?"

"Yeah, definitely, I'd really like that," Emma was smiling through the phone and the girl laughed at her eagerness.

"Perfect. Saturday at the coffee house by Sac's Pizza?"

"Saturday sounds perfect. Lunch or breakfast?"

"Mmm… Dinner. 6 pm?"

"That works perfectly. How will I know who you are?"

"Oh, we'll know. Who even goes to a coffee house that late anyway?"

Emma laughed. She was happy she had finally found someone that could actually make a good university friend.

"So I'll see you at 6 then?" The girl said to confirm.

"Sounds good."

"Awesome! Well-"

"Wait, I never got your name…" Emma interrupted. How embarrassing would it be to show up and not even know this girl's name.

"I'm Regina. You're Emma, right."

"Yeah. Nice to meet you, Regina."

"Nice to meet you too, Emma. Now get to class you don't want to be late."

Emma could hear her laughter before the line cut.

_Regina…_

She said the name to herself again. It felt fitting, for the situation. And despite the earlier anxiety over the phone, Emma was pretty calm about meeting her new friend in person; maybe she was even a little excited. Okay, _very _excited.

Emma didn't have a lot of college friends. She already didn't know anyone, being an out of state freshman, but her introverted nature had amplified the feeling of isolation. She never needed to engage in extracurricular activities to curb the loneliness, but she didn't know how lonely college really gets.

Sure, she was friends with Mary Margaret and Ruby. But they were her roommates, they had to get along to survive the year. Would she be friends with either of them outside the context of the dorm room? Maybe. But maybe doesn't make friends.

Suffice it to say, Emma was beyond excited to meet someone new. It was obvious from the phone call that they got along. And she could not wait for Saturday.

**A/N: Queen's Arrangement is what I decided to name the book because puns…**


	3. Chapter 3

This had to be the longest half week of Emma's entire life. Every class seemed to triple in length and she found her free time occupied by the most mundane activities. She didn't know how long she could survive before this excitement completely drained her.

**11 AM**

Finally, it was Saturday morning. Emma and Mary Margaret had dedicated the morning to hanging in the laundry room together. It wasn't often they hung out together, but Emma usually enjoyed having someone to do be around.

"What are you doing this weekend?" Emma asked, making small talk.

"I was invited to a dinner with some other friends. What about yourself?"

"Basically the same."

"Good. You seemed like you had a rough week, I'm glad you're getting out and doing something." Mary Margaret smiled. She'd noticed something bothering her friend, and she was glad that maybe it was resolved.

"Yeah, it was kind of a weird week." Emma laughed, embarrassed that her roommate had noticed her difficulties.

The machines beeped, and they moved their laundry to different machines in a comfortable silence for a while.

"So?" Mary Margaret broke the silence first.

"So what?"

"Who are you going to dinner with?"

Emma laughed, "It's nothing like that. I'm just meeting a friend. And it's coffee, not dinner."

"Wow, you found someone to go on late night coffee runs with you? That's impressive."

Emma blushed; she thought her coffee habits had gone unnoticed by her friends.

"What's their name?" Mary Margaret asked, trying to get as much out of her as possible.

"Regina."

"Did you meet her in class or…?"

"Okay, _Mom_, what is it you need to know?" Emma mocked her friend's questions. Mary Margaret just rolled her eyes.

"I'm not prying, Emma, I'm just curious. I've just never noticed you hanging out with people. It's a pleasant surprise."

Emma wasn't entirely sure what Mary Margaret's comment meant, but she took it at face value and they finished their laundry and conversation in peace.

**3 PM**

Emma was taking extra care of herself to prepare for the evening. And "extra care" meant she was stressing out and trying on every different outfit her (limited) wardrobe would allow. Again, she was suffering some unnecessary anxiety, and she had no clue why. What would it matter if she turned up in jeans and a blazer? It's not like this was a momentous occasion; she hung out with friends all the time. It wasn't a special party, or a date, or anything. It was just her meeting a new friend for coffee. They were just hanging out to discuss a book for Christ's sake, what was Emma's big deal?

"Hey Ruby?" Emma called from the closet. She figured it was time to ask for help from the most fashion forward person she knew.

"Try the denim skirt with my red jacket." Ruby called back, without getting off her bed. She had a special sense for people, and knew what they usually wanted from her. She could read Emma better than a book.

There was some shuffling in the closet and Emma emerged, posing for her roommate.

"Yeah?"

"Oh yeah. That jacket looks better on you than it ever has on me. You can keep it if you want," Ruby said, looking up from her textbook and grinning. She stood up and circled around Emma, pondering for a moment, then reaching into the closet and pulling out a pair of boots and a scarf. She handed the bundle to Emma who quickly put those on as well.

Ruby pulled Emma's long blonde hair around her shoulders, casually asking, "So who's the date with?"

Emma laughed and rolled her eyes, pushing Ruby's hands off her shoulders.

"It's not a date, why does everyone think this is a date?"

Ruby raised an eyebrow, casting an incredulous look.

"What are you all panicked about then?"

"I'm not… I just want to seem cool." Emma shrugged. Ruby smiled sadly, and gave her friend a kiss on the cheek.

"You are super cool, Miss Emma Swan. You don't need to worry."

Ruby crawled back onto her bed and picked up her books. Emma glanced at herself in the mirror. She had to hand it to Ruby, she did look very on point.

**5:45 PM**

Emma pulled open the door to the coffee house. It was noisy, but there weren't a lot of people there. She could smell fresh coffee brewing behind the counter. It was probably her favorite smell. A few groups sat at scattered tables, seeming to be stuck in their own little worlds. She did not see, however, any one sitting alone. She checked her phone: about 15 minutes early. The barista behind the counter smiled at her, so she walked up and ordered.

"A vanilla macchiato, please. Cinnamon on top."

She paid the guy and took her drink to a table in the corner.

**5:56 PM**

She crossed and uncrossed her legs, coffee untouched. She was uncomfortable being the only individual person in the café. Every time the door opened she jumped expectantly, but it was just someone else joining a large group that had been forming. It appeared they were a part of a table gaming club, and half the room filled up quite quickly; they were shifting all the tables around to make room for their group.

**6:13 PM**

This was a bad idea, Emma thought to herself. She shouldn't have agreed to meet some random stranger. And she shouldn't have gotten so worked up about it. She sighed, relaxing back into her chair, amused by the eccentric group of role-players. She took the first sip of her coffee and was quite impressed. Maybe it was just the barista, but this was probably the best macchiato she'd had since she left her hometown. The brewed coffee mixed perfectly with the vanilla, and she could taste the distinctive espresso beans.

"Emma?"

She stiffened, looking up to who was talking. A girl with short brown hair stood biting her lip.

"Sorry, did I scare you?"

"Uh… No. You- I'm fine." Emma stood and smoothed her skirt.

"Regina." She stuck out her hand in the suddenly tight space they had.

"Yeah, I'm Emma." They shook hands and continued to stand, still slightly too close to each other.

"So, the book?" Regina said, breaking their stare.

"Yeah," Emma sat back down, pulling out the page with the note.

"You tore the page out of the book?" Regina asked laughing.

"Well, yeah. I mean, I had to return the rest of the book, but I figured we should have at least part of it to physically talk over, you know?" Emma blushed, putting the page on the table.

"You defaced a library book for a conversation token?"

"It was already written on. What harm am I really causing?"

Regina continued laughing, her brown eyes sparkling, "You are really something, Miss Emma."

Emma's blush deepened and she felt her stomach twist. The pair quickly fell into easy conversation. At first, it was about the book, but the discussion ended up ranging from topics about school, work, and life. She learned that Regina had a BA in English, and was currently working on a Master's in modern literature. They also learned about their similar tastes in coffee, both favoring macchiatos over cappuccinos, and reserving the latte for late mornings. They also had their friendly differences.

"But doesn't the cinnamon conflict with the vanilla? It's like two different flavors battling."

"Exactly, that's the point. A vanilla by itself is boring and normal, but as soon as you add cinnamon, BAM, it's a whole new drink." Emma took a long drink from her cold coffee to prove her point.

"Excuse you; a vanilla macchiato is not boring. It's a classic. One of those timeless treasures that you can't improve on. Why else would every coffee house have its own version?"

"Because, Regina, it's a good starting point for beginning coffee connoisseurs to learn what they like best. Whether it's whipped cream or cinnamon or rum."

**10:17 PM**

The two were laughing over Regina's graduation story when the barista spoke up.

"Hey, I don't want to interrupt, but we close at ten. So you got to leave," he said, sounding like he was indeed rather pleased to interrupt.

Emma and Regina both checked their phones.

"Sorry, I didn't realize we'd been here this long." Emma said to the man behind the counter.

They left out the door, a silence draping over them. They walked down towards the main university road, unintentionally bumping arms. Regina stopped at a parked sedan a few yards away from the café.

"We should hang out more," Regina said, looking up at Emma, leaning against the car.

"Oh definitely." Emma crossed her arms from the cold.

"Do you need a ride back?" Regina started opening the passenger door. Emma shook her head.

"No, the dorms are like basically right there."

"Well, good."

The two stood in silence, staring at each other, and at the ground, and at the stars.

"Okay, well, I should go," Regina finally said, "Can we text?"

"It's 2014, of course we can text," Emma teased, their playful banter back.

They had an awkward hug and Regina left. Emma walked back to her dorm, a coy smile dancing on her lips.

**3:24 AM**

Emma lay awake in bed staring at the dark ceiling. Ruby was still awake, with a dull glow coming from her phone, and Mary Margaret snored softly on the other side of the room. Emma was stuck awake thinking.

She thought about Regina, and the book, and everything she said and did. She cringed at all the embarrassing lines she had used, and smiled at every detail she remembered from her friend. One line she continued to repeat in her head, over and over, as if she could still hear it coming from Regina's lips:

'You are really something, Miss Emma.'


End file.
